Fishing-reel.



Patented July I, I902. J. VOM HOFE.

FISHING REEL (Application filed Dec. 4, 1901-i ("0 Model.)

avwemtoz JuZeaJ Vb 0/8 &

a. 5:: ET NR gillihl 351 his elf cum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS VOM'HOFE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FISHING-REEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,585, dated July 1,1902. Application filed December l, 1901. Serial No. 84,631. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS voM HOFE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of NewYork,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing-Reels,of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in fishingreels; and it consist-s,broadlyspeaking, in pro-' viding a fishing-reel with a click and drag socombined that the click and drag can both be thrown simultaneously in orout of actionby a single movement of the angler. The combination is alsosuch that, if so desired, the click and drag may remain in operativeposition while the line is running out, but will be automatically thrownout of action while the line is reeled in. s

The invention further consists in certain novel subcombinations of partshereinafter set forth and claimed whereby the drag is automaticallyWithdrawn or rendered inoperative in a peculiar manner when the line isreeled in. V

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 representsa perspective view of my reel, showing the exposediparts by which theangler throws the click and drag in and out of action and regulates thefriction of the drag. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the click and dragmechanism in operative position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing theclick and drag withdrawn from operative position. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview on the line 00 0c of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a partial sectional Viewto show the stud which aids to retain the drag in inactive'position whenso desired.

A represents one side plate of my reel. B is the click-plate, and C is apivot eccentric to the axis of the spool of the reel, upon which pivotthe plate 13 swings in the plane of the reel side plate A and is thusmovable edgewise. The amplitude of this motion of the click-plate B-isgoverned in one direction by the stud D, as shown-in Fig. 2; in theother direction, by the free end of the drag E coming into contact withthe stud F, as shown in Fig. 3. The click-plate 13 carries the ordinarypawl G and pawl-spring 'H.

Attached atlTto the click-plate B,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is the dragE. Its operative face is armed with leather K or any substance suitablefora friction-pad. It will be noticed that the click-plate B carries thedragE with it and that if the click-plate B is thrown into the positionshown in Fig. 3 the drag E is carried with it and 'out of operation. Themode of operation of this portion of my device is as follows: The springL, bearing on the stud M, always tends to throw the click-plate B intothe position shown in Fig. 2, with the pad K of the drag in frictionalcontact with the customary concave outer end of the spool, when bothclick and drag are in operative position. The click-plate B and drag Eare thrown out of operation (theposition shown in Fig. 3) by the fingerN in the following way: The finger N is operated by a handle on theoutside of the reel, as shown at N- in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines inFigs. 2 and 3. Whenthe finger N is moved to the position shown in Fig.3, it strikes the stud O on the click-plate B and moves .it'into theposition shown in Fig. 3, where both click and drag are out of operationand are soheld by the frictional resistance of the finger N and by thefree end of the dragE being brought under the taper-headed stud F. (SeeFig. 3.) The reel then becomes a free-running reel. If the finger N isthen moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the click-plate is released,and the springL throws the click and drag plates simultaneously intooperative position. 7

My device has an additional function.

Assume the mechanism to be in the position shown in Fig. 2. Then theclick and drag are in the position they assume-when a fish is runningout the line and resist its movement. Now assume that the angler beginsto reel in his line. He leaves the finger N just as it was and simplyactuates' the handle of the reel in-the proper direction to take in theline.

"The result is that the friction of the free end of thedrag E againstthe concave outer side of the flange of the spool of the reel (uponwhich the drag bears when in operation) is such that it overcomes theresistance of the spring L, and the click and drag plates are both movednearly enough into the position shown in Fig. 3 to release both clickand drag and put themout of operation. As long as the angler winds inhis line he thus experiences no resistance at all from the click and buta difiicultly-perceptible resistance from the drag; but the moment hestops winding in the friction of the spool ceases and the spring Lthrows the click and drag into active position. Thus when the line isrunning out the resistance of both click and drag must be overcome. Whenthe line is wound in, a hardlyperceptible resistance obtains, and theseactions are purely automatic.

The mechanism hereinbefore described and shown in Figs. 2 and 3 islocated between the reel side plate A and the adjacent flange of thespool of the reel. The resistance of the drag is obtained by the rubbingof the free end of the drag against the concave outer side of the flangeof the spool in the usual way, and the automatic withdrawal of the drag,and therewith the click, when the line is reeled in is due to thefrictional contact between the spool and the drag and the movement ofsaid free end of the drag out of such frictional contact and toward theretracting-stud F due to the eccentric position of the pivot O withreference to the spools axis and the concavity of the frictional surfaceof the spool.- The friction, and consequently the resistance, of thedrag may be regulated by the screw P without opening the reel. The screwbears upon a stud Q (best seen in Fig. 4) upon the under side of thedrag E, so that upon turning said screw inward the pressure of the dragagainst the spool is increased, while upon withdrawing the said screwthe pressure is relaxed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fishing-reel, the combination with the spool of a click-platebearing a pawl and its spring and movable edgewise, a drag movable withsaid plate, means for moving said plate and therewith said pawl and saiddrag into effective position, and means for retracting the same; thewhole being so organized that when and while the line is withdrawn fromthe spool both the pawl and the drag simultaneously oppose suchwithdrawal, whereas when and while the line is reeled in the pawl anddrag are simultaneously and automatically withdrawn from action.

2. In a fishing-reel, the combination with the spool of a pivotedclick-plate, bearing a pawl and its spring and movable edgewise, a dragattached to said plate and movable therewith, a spring for moving saidplate and therewith said pawl and said drag into effective position andmeans for automatically retracting the same; the whole being soorganized that both the pawl and the drag simultaneously andautomatically resist the withdrawal of the line, yet automatically andsimultaneously move out of action and oifer practically no resistancewhen the line is reeled in.

3. In a fishing-reel, a click-plate pivoted near one side and providedwith a pawl and its spring, in combination with a drag attached theretoand superimposed thereon; a spring bearing upon said click-plate andtending to move its pawl toward the center of the reel; and a movablefinger acting upon said click-plate; the whole so combined that theclick and drag may simultaneously be put and retained in action, orWithdrawn from action and so retained, at the will of the user.

4. In a fishing-reel, the combination with the spool having a concavefrictional surface of a drag movable edgewise on a pivot eccentric tothe spools axis and having a frictional free end, and means for movingsaid drag into frictional contact with the spool to resist thewithdrawal of the line; the organization being such that the drag isautomatically retracted to free the spool when the line is reeled in.

5. In a fishing-reel, the combination with the spool having a concavefrictional surface of a drag movable edgewise on a pivot eccentric tothe spools axis and having a frictional free end, and a spring formoving said drag into frictional contact with the spool to resist thewithdrawal of the line; the organization being such that the drag isautomatically retracted to free the spool when the line is reeled in.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 23d day of November, A. D. 1901.

JULIUS VOM HOFE.

Witnesses:

WM. OSHAUGHNESSY, F. M. DONSBACH.

